Shiva Purana
Rudra Samhita — Brahma-Vishnu Lingodbhava narrative
Tiruvannamalai · Tamil Nadu
Shri Arunachaleshwar Temple, Tiruvannamalai
Arunachaleshwar — the Fire-element Shiva; Lord of Mount Aruna
अन्य नाम: Arunachaleshwar · Annamalaiyar · Agni-linga · Tiruvannamalai Shiva
- 5 Pancha-Bhuta Sthalam
- 108 Shiva-Divya-Kshetra
- Nayanmar Thevaram-extolled kshetra
इस मन्दिर की विशेषता
- 5 Pancha-Bhuta Sthalam (Fire element)
- 108 Shiva-Divya-Kshetra
- Nayanmar Thevaram-extolled kshetra
01
मूल विग्रह
मुख्य देव एवं स्वरूप
Shri Arunachaleshwar (Shiva — Fire-element among the Pancha-Bhuta sites; Mount Arunachala as the Shiva-form)
Agni-linga; Mount Arunachala (Tiruvannamalai Hill) behind the temple is itself considered the Shiva-form — a great flame is lit on its peak on Karthigai Deepam
सम्प्रदाय: Shaiva
02
स्थल-पुराण
कथा, इतिहास एवं महत्व
Skanda Purana
Arunachala Mahatmya
Thevaram (Tamil)
Stuti by Nayanmars Thirugnanasambandar, Appar, Sundarar
संत एवं परम्परा
- Brahma and Vishnu — during their supremacy-dispute, Shiva manifested as a column of light (Agni-stambha); the cooled form of this column became Mount Arunachala; Mount Arunachala = Shiva-linga
- Ramana Maharshi (1879-1950) — 20th-century Advaita-Vedanta saint; performed tapasya at Tiruvannamalai for 50+ years; founder of the Arunachala Ashram; modern propagator of Advaita-darshan
- Thirugnanasambandar and Appar — Nayanmar composers of stotras
- Arunagirinathar (15th century) — Tamil poet-saint; composer of Thiruppugazh
ऐतिहासिक घटनाक्रम
- 8509th century — Chola-era construction of the original temple; Nayanmar Thevaram-extolled — Wikipedia Annamalaiyar Temple
- 15201509-1529 — major expansion by Vijayanagara emperor Krishna Deva Raya: 66-metre Rajagopuram (9-storey) — Wikipedia + TN Tourism
- 18961896 — Ramana Maharshi began his tapa at age 16 in the Virupaksha cave on Mount Arunachala — Sri Ramana Ashram records
03
नित्य उपासना
दर्शन समय एवं आरती
05:00 से 21:30 तक · मध्याह्न विश्राम 12:00-17:00 (midday rest)
Ushatkalam (morning)05:00-06:00
Kalasandhi puja07:00-09:00
Uchchi-kalam (midday)10:00-12:00
Evening puja17:00-19:00
Irandamkalam19:30-20:30
Ardha-jama puja (shayana)21:00-21:30
04
दर्शन
दर्शन के प्रकार
General Free Darshanनिःशुल्क
Darshan of the main Arunachaleshwar is free.
Girivalam — 14 km hill-parikrama
14-km foot parikrama of Mount Arunachala (3.5-5 hours); traditionally barefoot; the Purnima-night 'Purnima Girivalam' carries particular merit. 2026 Purnima dates (13 Purnimas — Adhik Maas year): 3 January, 1 February, 3 March, 2 April, 1 May, 31 May (Adhik), 29 June, 29 July, 28 August, 26 September, 26 October, 24 November (Maha Karthigai Deepam), 23 December.
05
उत्सव
प्रमुख पर्व एवं उत्सव
Karthigai Deepam (Maha Deepam)Tamil Karthigai Purnima (November-December)
The supreme festival of the year — a great flame (massive fire-column) is lit on the summit of Mount Arunachala; visible from the entire city; the flame burns for 10 days. 2026 — 24 November Purnima.
MahashivratriPhalguna Krishna Chaturdashi
Temple open all night; special abhishekam every hour. 2026 — 15 February.
Panguni Uttiram (March-April)
Arunachaleshwar-Unnamulaiyamman wedding festival
Purnima Girivalam (monthly)
14-km hill parikrama on every Purnima; lakhs of devotees
06
आस्था
मनोकामना एवं फल
Mount Arunachala is itself the Shiva-linga; darshan of the Fire-element brings inner purification and increase of tapasya
स्रोत: Skanda Purana Arunachala Mahatmya + Ramana Maharshi Pancha-Ratnam
Middle pitha of the Pancha-Bhuta yatra
स्रोत: Pancha-Bhuta Sthala tradition
Modern Advaita-jnana-pitha established by Ramana Maharshi; 'Who am I?' atma-vichara sadhana
स्रोत: Ramana Maharshi teaching
14-km parikrama of Mount Arunachala — especially on Purnima nights — absolves all sins
स्रोत: Skanda Purana + Tamil Shaiva tradition
07
जप
मन्त्र एवं स्तोत्र
- Arunachala Ashtakam (Ramana Maharshi)
- Arunachala Pancha-Ratnam (Ramana Maharshi)
- Thevaram
- Om Namah Shivaya
08
तीर्थाटन
समीप के तीर्थ एवं परिपथ
Mount Arunachala (Tiruvannamalai Hill)500 मी
Itself the Shiva-linga; 14-km parikrama path; 8 lingas along the path — Indra, Agni, Yama, Niruti, Varuna, Vayu, Kubera, Ishana
Sri Ramana Ashram1 किमी
The ashram of Ramana Maharshi (1879-1950); atma-vichara sadhana-pitha; sadhakas from across the world visit
Skandashram and Virupaksha Cave1.5 किमी
Ramana Maharshi's 17-year tapa-site; ascent up the hill peak
Yogi Ramsuratkumar Ashram2 किमी
20th-century siddha-saint; famous 'mendicant saint'
Fire-element; others 4: Ekambareshwar (Earth), Jambukeshwar (Water), Srikalahasti (Wind), Chidambaram (Akasha)
5 मंदिर
Foremost among the 4 principal Shiva-Dhams
4 मंदिर
Combined with the Ramana Maharshi Ashram
Central — Mount Arunachala itself is Shiva
09
मार्गदर्शन
यात्रा एवं संपर्क
- पता
- Arulmigu Arunachaleswarar Thirukoyil, Tiruvannamalai — 606601, Tamil Nadu
- हवाई अड्डा
- Chennai (MAA) — ~190 km; Puducherry (PNY) — ~110 km
- रेलवे
- Tiruvannamalai Railway Station — ~2 km from the temple
- उत्तम ऋतु
- October-March; Karthigai Deepam (November) — supreme crowds.
- वेबसाइट
- https://tnhrce.gov.in ↗
2 किमीTiruvannamalai Station
1 किमीSri Ramana Ashram
110 किमीPondicherry
80 किमीVellore
175 किमीKanchipuram
190 किमीChennai